As discussed in the introduction to Unit 2, stories have transformative ability. More

specifically, they can turn any situation into a sense of hopefulness. In “The Voyagers” by Linda Hogan, humans have created “a message that states what we most value here on earth: respect for all life and ways . . . a seed of what we may become.” Although the earth has not reached this goal, we have written a story of potential.

         In order to reach the goal, one has to release everything that prevents the story from having a happy ending. The speaker in Joy Harjo’s “I Give You Back” releases fear so that she may live. The father in Sherman Alexie’s “Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock” says, “I’m interested in how things should be.” Although fear, pain, suffering, and evil are all part of reality, one can rewrite it into the story it should be.